All of us are on a journey through life and each journey is different.
Although different, our journeys may seem similar as we travel along. It's as if we're walking paths that can see each other and at times these paths parallel or intersect each other.
Keep in mind that no two people traverse the exact same course.
For the past five or six years I've been on a journey that I honestly have not liked. At all. Nor would I have dreamt it; but God had a much different plan.
It has been hard and at more times than I want to admit, even heart-breaking. Thankfully, I belong to small group of men that come together every Saturday morning at 7 o'clock to study the Bible, pray and share in each others lives.
I thank God for these men because when the going got really tough and all kinds of stuff was hitting the fan from the middle of 2014 through almost all of 2015, these men - these Christian brothers - were there for me.
In the words of the Apostle Paul to his son in the faith Timothy, my brothers "[Did] not rebuke an older man but encourage him (me) as you would a father, younger men as brothers, in all purity." 1 Timothy 5:1-2. These men came along side me and loved me for who I am; for the man traveling this particular road in life.
We were just finishing a study through Gene Getz's book "Measure of a Man". We all took turns teaching and it was excellent to hear and experience different styles and applications on becoming real men of God, according to His Word.
As I was preparing my wrap up session of the series I had been praying earnestly that God would illuminate my mind to prepare a timely lesson for all of us who are on this journey called life. Each of us was either struggling, had just come out of a struggle, was living life well or was perhaps about to go into a struggle.
Well, God did indeed answer that prayer. And so this lesson. I'll give credit to where credit is due. This is a kind of paraphrase of a sermon preached by Dr. Erwin Lutzer of Moody Church in Chicago about hard times in the believers life as seen through the life of Moses... Let's just say it was and is very fitting for each of us who is experiencing a hard time and feels like they're out in the desert and alone. Dear friend, I can assure you that you're not alone. Someone, somewhere has walked a similar path and arrived in their promised land. I pray that you're not only blessed but are encouraged to carry on and carry on well.
And so, we start by asking the question: Which is the better teacher? Success or Failure?
Let's look at the book of Exodus and the life of Moses.
Each one of us is in 1 of 4 places in our lives…although there could be portions where we’re living in two. Each of these places is unique to our lives. In fact, you could say that each of these places has been purposely prepared by God in advance not to reward or punish us, but to prepare us for something greater... something more. Something attuned to God's Plan and Kingdom and the part that each of us plays in His Plan.
The Palace. – The first place that each of us lives in (believe it or not) is the Palace. In the Palace everything is seemingly good. The Palace is rich in the necessities of life. We are initially molded. We learn. We grow. We mature to a certain degree.
But keep this in mind: God is not necessarily the focus of our lives.
And then something (it really doesn't matter if it's relational, financial or spiritual) happens that causes (sometimes forces) us to leave the Palace, and like Moses and the murder of the task master, we flee. Possibly the Palace is taken from us; we are forced out.
Sometimes as we stay in the Palace, we morph from loving people and using things to loving things and using people. Our self-centeredness is costumed over by the appearance of fealty and care.
We are taken away from things that you love or love to do… people, things, your career, teaching, writing, serving.
From the Palace, we retreat to or are driven to the Desert.
The Desert – The desert is often times lonely, alien, and barren. Initially it is a strange and quite quiet place. The desert is a place of solitude. It is sometimes a place for intense reflection. But other things happen and exist in the Desert.
In the Desert we are forced to be alone; and that's not necessarily a bad thing. There are no distractions. It's just God and me.
Our metal is tested in the desert. Remember Jesus in the wilderness.
We find out how strong we are. We often reach our limits, but there's something that pushes us beyond those limits (which were probably self-imposed anyway), we push through "the wall" and find that we can actually survive in the desert. And then sometimes suddenly, unexpected things occur in the desert. Perhaps these "unexpected" things had always been there, but because we so much desired to be back in the palace, that we never really noticed them.
The fact of the matter is that God reveals Himself in unexpected ways when we are in the desert. He is ever watching and ever caring for His beloved (you and me). If we are in Christ, we are in His mercy and God guards us physically, emotionally and especially spiritually.
The desert is an emotional place. We are to work through the emotions alone because, after all, the desert is a solitary place. I praise God for the times (and especially this time) that I've been traversing the desert. I can't begin to enumerate all that I have learned while in the desert. Hopefully I am still learning and being challenged.
As I said, there are our emotions that we must deal with in the desert; by ourselves. We learn who and Whose we are when we Sing, Pray, Cry, Laugh, Feel. Hug those closest to you. And so do those things. No one is watching! You are – I am – God’s servant, but more importantly, His beloved.
God is still at work… I am not the focus of His plan, although I am a part of it.
God has me exactly where He wants me. He is sovereign. Just because God is apparently silent, does mean He’s not active or indifferent. God is working to connect all of His dots, not mine.
What have I learned (what am I learning) in the desert? I learn many things:
- I learn that God is all I need. The words that I sing, “My heart is Yours, take it all!” are real.
- I learn to let go of what I think I need, what I think I know and simply trust in Him alone.
- I learn that God DOES Love me.
- I learn that God is FOR me. But He is for Himself first, and that’s more important. God doesn’t owe me an explanation for what He’s done or what He’s doing because He is the Sovereign of my life.
- I learn that God reveals Himself in the most unexpected and yet common of ways.
- I learn that I can Heal in the desert; body, mind and spirit, just like Moses, just like Elijah. Just like so many others.
- I learn that I can Find Rest in the desert.
And then sometimes when we think that we have learned everything we need to know and think we have almost traversed out of the desert, when we think that it will be great moving forward, we are faced with the Sea.
3. the Sea – nowhere else to go.
The Sea is where God puts you and me to the test to make sure that we actually learned something in the desert. The Sea is a testing of our faith and trust in God.
Speaking frankly, for me, I came to the Sea several times. In 2014, I was about to lose my commercial property where I operated my business from. The way through that Sea was the personal bankruptcy process. I had never worked so hard in such a short period of time as those closing months of 2014.
Not only did we need to vacate the property and building, but we also had to find a new location, move our inventory and equipment, remodel and renovate out new location (our landlord is fantastic!) and reopen our business. All within the space of about 5 months.
God brought us through that time. I had to tell my story of "failure" many times to customers, vendors and now new people who didn't know me. I learned to be more honest and hard working. Things were seemingly back on track and going well until another unexpected Sea rose up and almost claimed my life (from what the doctors have told me, that's not a real exaggeration.
I would spend 2 weeks in the hospital and close to another 2 months recuperating at home before fully returning to work. Right smack dab in the middle of our busy season for our business. My staff did a great job in my absence and my customers prayed for me and sent me cards and notes. I was again humbled by the goodness and generosity of God as He lead me through this time. I am facing another surgery which, God willing, will restore me back to almost perfect health.
The exercises the lessons we - that I - learned in the desert, I needed to apply when facing the Sea. And it wasn't me who brought (is bringing) me through the Sea, God is the one Who leads us (me) through it. I can honestly look back over these times and find joy (to the point of humor and laughter) and thanks as to what God has done and is doing with and through me. Look for a post or two about my experience.
When I say that I'm looking forward to arriving at and in the Promised Land, I'm not kidding! But the fact of the matter is the bulk of my life will most likely be spent traversing the desert and the sea.
4. the Promised Land – where God really wants you. Some cross over into it in this life, others don’t.
What I am discovering is that living in the Promised Land means living exactly where God wants you to live… and to look forward to His Promises!
As I lay in my hospital bed, recovering from emergency abdominal surgery, I was finally in a state of complete dependence. Dependence upon my doctors and nurses for the least little thing. Dependence upon my family and close friends for their emotional and moral support. Most importantly, dependence upon God for physically saving my life and now providing the most exquisite solace and comfort that I have ever experienced in my adult life. I was literally in His hands.
For me, living in the Promised Land has these 4 crucial elements:
1. Live in God & His Word. We don't live by bread alone but from every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.
2. Live in a close Community of Believers. Family is really good, but they can't do everything for you, plus they're sometimes too close to your desert or sea. You need people who are loving and caring, yet also more objective.
3. Serve as Jesus served. Other people need you. It’s not about me. It’s not about you. It’s about God, His Plan and His Kingdom. I write about my personal journeys and struggles because I know beyond shadow of doubt, someone somewhere will go through something similar and just perhaps these words will provide comfort, healing and hope.
4. We (all believers in Jesus Christ) eventually come out of the Desert and cross the Sea into the Promised Land.
Words of Life.
God's Word is very precious to me. His Word is life. I cling to it as much as I can. When there's nowhere else to turn, I must go here. May these Words bless you too...
As Job said when he was going through his trials, "I know that my Redeemer lives,
and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
And after my skin has been thus destroyed,
yet in my flesh I shall see God,
whom I shall see for myself,
and my eyes shall behold, and not another." Job 19:25-27.
Psalm 30
I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up
and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
2 O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
and you have healed me.
3 O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;
you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.
4 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,
and give thanks to his holy name.
5 For his anger is but for a moment,
and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.
6 As for me, I said in my prosperity,
“I shall never be moved.”
7 By your favor, O Lord,
you made my mountain stand strong;
you hid your face;
I was dismayed.
8 To you, O Lord, I cry,
and to the Lord I plead for mercy:
9 “What profit is there in my death,
if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it tell of your faithfulness?
10 Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me!
O Lord, be my helper!”
11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
you have loosed my sackcloth
and clothed me with gladness,
12 that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!
Psalm 32
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah
5 I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
6 Therefore let everyone who is godly
offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found;
surely in the rush of great waters,
they shall not reach him.
7 You are a hiding place for me;
you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
9 Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
which must be curbed with bit and bridle,
or it will not stay near you.
10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.
11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous,
and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
From Crash the Chatterbox: "God’s Word needs to be my battle cry and victory call in life… and I need to hear it loud and clear."
Let your Journey continue... May you be blessed and be a blessing to others, whatever the blessing may be.
Music video: Kristian Stanfill, "My Heart is Yours"
